Amy R. reviewed on + 5 more book reviews
I was stunned by how poorly written this book is. The author uses types instead of creating characters: the protagonist of the novel's contemporary story arc even refers to her husband as "the archetypal Frenchman." This is lazy writing, pure and simple. I want to read about real, complicated people - not archetypes.
The language elsewhere in the book is stilted and wooden - not compelling or convincing as dialogue - and the author describes characters and scenes, telling us what characters are like and how they're feeling (and thus how we are supposed to feel for and about them) instead of showing us through detail and observation.
The ending of the book also drags on far too long, and a small detail that apparently is supposed to be a major surprise or twist can be seen coming for more than twenty pages before it's revealed.
The protagonist of the book's contemporary story, Julia, is also singularly annoying. An American, she's lived in Paris for 25 years and all she can do is complain about the place (gee, how come she feels as if she still doesn't fit in?). She puts up with her husband's infidelity and other shortcomings, apparently because the sex is great, and then accepts his blame for the fact that their marriage is falling apart. Her daughter may admire her, but this reader just wanted to give her a hard slap and tell her, "Snap out of it!"
The language elsewhere in the book is stilted and wooden - not compelling or convincing as dialogue - and the author describes characters and scenes, telling us what characters are like and how they're feeling (and thus how we are supposed to feel for and about them) instead of showing us through detail and observation.
The ending of the book also drags on far too long, and a small detail that apparently is supposed to be a major surprise or twist can be seen coming for more than twenty pages before it's revealed.
The protagonist of the book's contemporary story, Julia, is also singularly annoying. An American, she's lived in Paris for 25 years and all she can do is complain about the place (gee, how come she feels as if she still doesn't fit in?). She puts up with her husband's infidelity and other shortcomings, apparently because the sex is great, and then accepts his blame for the fact that their marriage is falling apart. Her daughter may admire her, but this reader just wanted to give her a hard slap and tell her, "Snap out of it!"
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